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Clown Meadows posted:I'm looking at buying a MacBook Pro. While I can use OSX, I've never owned a mac before so I was hoping you guys might weigh in with a bit of advice. I considered a thinkpad after reading the recommendations in the last thread but after a bit of an investigation, it seems that their pricing here in NZ is relatively high and not subject to any of the special discounts available in US. Once the new macs are announced at WWDC, it's possible that the previous generation refurbs will be cheaper (though admittedly I know very little about the pricing of Apple products). In any case, I would wait to see what gets announced over the coming weeks. Also, the Mac Hardware thread will probably be able to provide you with more information and specifics http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3426201
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Jun 4, 2013 21:11
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Have there ever been durability issues with the hinges on convertible laptops? Do the hinges vary significantly from brand to brand? Some of them look really flimsy; even the solid looking ones still strike me as a disaster waiting to happen. If there were serious issues I'm sure they wouldn't be selling them, but I just can't shake the fear of the hinge breaking somehow.
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Jun 6, 2013 04:54
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InstantInfidel posted:This is second- or third-hand, but I've heard and read that the X1 Carbon has one of the best Windows trackpads you can buy. Other than that, no one comes close, it's a one-horse race and Apple is way out in front. I don't understand why it's so hard for laptop OEMs to make laptops of similar quality for similar prices. It seems like it took ages for them to start making some nice looking chassis but there's still usually something wrong with each model like a mushy keyboard, poor trackpad, crappy screen, flimsy body, etc. Are high end ThinkPads the only thing that compete? I guess it looks like that new Zenbook from Asus could fill that space too? (If you haven't already guessed, I'm looking for a good quality laptop this summer that isn't an Apple)
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Jun 8, 2013 17:27
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go3 posted:You get what you pay for. I know. And I'm willing to pay. That's why I was asking why OEMs have trouble making "laptops of similar quality for similar prices [to Apple]." People were just mentioning, for example, how the high end Sony laptops aren't great despite their price. Or how non-Apple trackpads are generally inferior regardless of price (except maybe the X1 Carbon mentioned). Shofixti fucked around with this message at 18:32 on Jun 8, 2013 |
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Jun 8, 2013 18:24
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InstantInfidel posted:Basically, PC companies are all shitpiles with a few exceptions and Apple has the right idea. I'm not a fanboy, really, they just make a better product that has its own shortcomings that are much, much less glaring. It's true and I guess I always knew that. I just never noticed it so much since I build my own desktops which ensures it's not a shitpile. I don't like Apple software but I can definitely appreciate that they know what they're doing when it comes to hardware. I'm considering an Apple and just using boot camp but it feels a bit silly. go3 posted:PC laptop manufacturers have effectively ruined themselves by refusing to put quality products on display in big box stores. After a lovely laptop buyer has had enough of either their lovely $500 crapbox or their overpriced Sony they're going to turn to what 'just works' and they'll just buy the Apple instead of ordering online. Yeah the whole race to the bottom thing between PC manufacturers has really started to screw them. I guess what I'm surprised about is that no PC manufacturer has decided to position itself as the "Apple of PC laptops" for lack of a better term. Just a simplified line up of quality (and I guess pricier) hardware.
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Jun 8, 2013 20:20
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Gnomedolf posted:Microsoft really needs to look into doing something like Apple does with their Retina screens. The rumour mill is saying that's exactly what Windows 8.1 will be doing but we won't know until later.
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Jun 9, 2013 20:03
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Apparently the SSD drivers for boot camp aren't that great either.quote:In Boot Camp, the SSD in that MacBook Air performs far worse than an SSD should. The Random Read score is 1.2 MB/s under Boot Camp but increases to 2.7 MB/s when using Parallels. http://www.zdnet.com/blog/bott/the-hidden-costs-of-running-windows-on-a-mac_p2/3673
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Jun 12, 2013 18:16
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Cart posted:I think I may be making the switch from PCs over to the new Macbook Air - that battery life and overall product quality are just too appealing when compared to the PC offerings. Having said that, I've never been a fan of Apple's software, iTunes in particular exemplifying a lot of what they do wrong compared to a streamlined music player like Foobar. I'm in the same boat. My first choice would be a Haswell Thinkpad but I can't wait until September/October and Lenovo seems determined to make the release dates as opaque as possible. I might just suck it up and get an Air with boot camp.
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Jun 18, 2013 19:32
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Mu Zeta posted:Please reduce the number of Thinkpads available. No wonder people get confused All the PC manufacturers do this and it drives me nuts. I hate sifting through each model trying to find the differences. And sometimes, there are more subtle unlisted things like build quality differences that you only find if you research each model individually.
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Jul 15, 2013 16:01
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Where's the best place to get T430 ThinkPads in Canada? The Barnes & Noble gold thing isn't available and I feel like a sucker using the Lenovo website. Or am I just going to have to deal with spending ~$850 on an Ivy Bridge laptop with a TN panel. (850 because I'm looking at the screen upgrade, i5 and upgraded wireless)
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Sep 4, 2013 22:49
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unpronounceable posted:Googled Lenovo barnes and noble canada, and on the notebook review forum, I found this link. Sorry I should have mentioned - I do know of that site from Googling but I didn't know the password. mewse posted:Yup, password is fndepp For anyone else who uses this later - the password is case sensitive. I typed "fndepp" a bunch of times before I tried it in all caps and it worked. Thanks! Edit - so for clarity, it's actually FNDEPP Shofixti fucked around with this message at 02:23 on Sep 5, 2013 |
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Sep 5, 2013 02:18
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Mursh posted:Has anyone found a good place to get the t430 in Canada? The cheapest I'm finding is close to $800 bucks and I'm wondering if there's somewhere else I should be looking. Here. The password is FNDEPP
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Sep 19, 2013 02:11
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User review of the new T440s. Seems like the initial pessimism might have been a bit exaggerated and premature on some counts, though I'm sure it's better to wait for more reviews.
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Sep 24, 2013 01:41
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Naffer posted:Dell announced Haswell updates to the XPS 13 and XPS 15. What is the build quality like on those? The XPS 13 looks interesting but I've always had this preconceived idea that Dell laptops are cheap feeling. Is it stupid to ask whether the XPS 13 is comparable to the 13" Macbook Air?
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Oct 2, 2013 21:17
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Bob Morales posted:They had the previous model @ Best Buy if you want to fondle one. They're pretty solid. Good idea - unfortunately Canadian Best Buys don't seem to stock them according to their website  I'm relying on certified Goon Opinions™.Seamonster posted:XPS 12 owners tell us about that carbon fiber base. I imagine the larger models will have identical feel and build? I'm reading more and they sound solid so you could be right. I suppose I'm just very pessimistic at this point and unable to believe that a consumer line Dell laptop can actually be any good due to some past experiences (with admittedly cheaper Dell laptops). I'm basically looking for a 13" macbook air except with Windows. Boot camp seems stupid if I'm never going to use OSX at all.
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Oct 2, 2013 22:16
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havelock posted:Any more news on the haswell xps 13? It seemed good on paper when it was announced, but it isn't out for a few more weeks right? I've been waiting for news on that one too. I believe all we know so far is a release sometime in November.
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Oct 28, 2013 17:47
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Dell XPS 13 with Haswell went on sale in Canada and US starting today. http://www.dell.com/us/p/xps-13-9333/pd listed with an estimated ship date: 12/13/2013 ... yeah Are there comparable discounts for Dells like there are with Lenovo? Because the Yoga 2 Pro is looking like a way better value when I go through the Lenovo Friends & Family discount thing. edit - seriously, even without the discount, the Yoga 2 Pro is cheaper for the same specs + the QHD screen (admittedly a negative and a positive) + convertible aspect. What does the XPS 13 have over it? Build quality? Battery? Shofixti fucked around with this message at 00:27 on Nov 15, 2013 |
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Nov 14, 2013 23:56
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Damnit Lenovo why must all your Yoga 2 Pros sold in Canada have crappy multilingual keyboards. Do I really have to buy one from the US just to get a full sized shift key? 
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Nov 17, 2013 02:17
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I've had my Yoga 2 Pro for 2 weeks now and I'm happy with it. The only issue, which I knew going in, was that some programs wouldn't deal with the resolution well. However, as mentioned, it's easy to switch to 1600x900 while using those stubborn programs (ArcGIS, SketchUp  though I prefer to do mapping and 3d modelling on an external monitor anyway so it's not a big deal). When using software that handles the resolution though, like MS Office, it's amazingly crisp. I've also been using the convertible aspect much more than I anticipated.For the Canadians here, I looked into the whole bilingual keyboard thing a lot and hopefully this will provide some clarity. If you order from Lenovo's website (EPP or normal) you are supposed to get a bilingual one. That said, some people do end up getting regular English ones anyway by accident. In general with Lenovo, ThinkPad line allows you to choose what kind of keyboard you get while the IdeaPad line are all bilingual. If you really want a Yoga 2 Pro with an English keyboard, the only way I found was through Futureshop's online store. On the website they specifically list some with English keyboards and some with bilingual ones. I got mine from Futureshop with the regular English keyboard and everything worked out fine. (edit: Also, just out of interest, I've seen a lot of misinformation about why this whole keyboard business exists. The only law in play is a Quebec provincial law mandating that laptops sold in the province have bilingual keyboards, which is reasonable imo. There is no requirement for laptops outside of Quebec to be bilingual, but manufacturers have decided it's more cost efficient to just sell those same bilingual laptops across the country. You can see this from the Futureshop website where it states for the English models that they cannot be shipped to Quebec.) Semi-related question - are there any recommended USB3-to-Ethernet adapters for the odd occasion that I need one? Shofixti fucked around with this message at 02:25 on Dec 2, 2013 |
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Dec 2, 2013 02:02
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Thanks for the suggestions! Now that I actually look at the 480mbps provided by USB2.0 that's probably more than enough.
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Dec 2, 2013 05:46
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Hadlock posted:I've used this USB Gigabit Ethernet dongle for my Linux/Atom powered nettop for over a year now, it's natively supported by CentOS, Ubuntu and of course Windows. I've been really, really happy with it. You don't see too many 4.5+ star reviews with over 300 reviews on Amazon. Looks like it's compatible with Chromebooks now too. Looks like that same brand has a USB 3.0 one for cheaper  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AQM8586...ASIN=B00AQM8586
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Dec 2, 2013 08:34
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I picked up a Yoga 2 Pro last year based on the positive reviews in the thread. Mostly happy with it to date. There's one issue that I was hoping other owners could shed some light on. I recently started connecting the laptop to a TV using the microHDMI port. However, the port is really finicky. As you can see from the pictures, there is no signal unless I angle the connector upward to a ridiculous degree. Is there anything I can do about this or is it just something I have to deal with? I've tried using a different microHDMI to HDMI adapter and it's basically the same which makes me feel it's something with the port itself.  edit - before someone mentions, I've read threads (like this https://forums.lenovo.com/t5/Idea-Windows-based-Tablets-and/Yoga-2-Pro-micro-HDMi-issue-SOLVED/td-p/1297269) about people saying the HDMI port is too recessed. I cut some plastic away from an adapter to have it go deeper but it didn't solve anything. Shofixti fucked around with this message at 20:20 on Oct 4, 2014 |
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Oct 4, 2014 20:18
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Does that ~$600 minimum price point to avoid utter trash from the OP still hold today? My tech illiterate friend needs a 11-13" laptop that just does basic browser-based things (email, online banking, YouTube, Netflix, etc) and can run Microsoft Office. A nice Chromebook isn't an option only because they'd prefer a perpetual Office license over a never ending subscription fee. They're hoping to hold on to this laptop for as long as possible so they're willing to pay enough to get decent build quality but as far as actual specs go, the requirements are bare minimum.
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Nov 21, 2019 05:23
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Dr. Fishopolis posted:Definitely not if you're willing to go used, something like this will be bulletproof for those tasks for a long time to come: Thanks! I was surprised to find comparable listings in Canada. I'm definitely going to recommend the refurbished ThinkPad approach.
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Nov 22, 2019 04:44
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